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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bound — tied together
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a great time
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. squash — the sport
  23. vault — a safe
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com